Swedish ice hockey has produced a detailed protocol for what should apply to travel, matches, the environment in changing rooms and so on during the corona pandemic.

Part of the protocol for the referees, to prevent the spread of infection, means that they should not go in and break when there is a fight between the players.

In normal cases, it is the linemen who are quickly in place to separate the players when hot situations arise on the ice.

- If there are two players who choose to quarrel with each other and who have already gotten together, that they push on each other or start fighting, then the linemen will just screen off.

They will verbally try to stop it and make sure that no third player comes in, Thorsbrink says and continues:

- On the other hand, if there is an emergency situation, that one player has a huge advantage and the other player has fallen, or one player lies over the other and feeds blows, then the linemen will go in and lift away.

"Up to the players"

The new directives for the referees have existed since the start of the season and Thorsbrink thinks that it has worked well.

- Now we do not have so many fights in Swedish hockey and the team knows about this.

What we have seen in the training matches is that when the players start arguing with each other and no lineman comes in, it settles down immediately.

There is no risk that it can derail?

- No, it has not happened yet.

It is up to the players what they want to do, in the past they have known that they can hold on for a while and then the lineman comes and helps so that there are not so many expulsion minutes.

It will not happen right now, says Tomas Thorsbrink.